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Friday, March 16, 2018

Roots in Ripon - Warrior Culture

Over the expanse of human history, a definite
group of people in each society has emerged and remained. This group is often
referred to as a “warrior culture.”

“A warrior is a person
specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or
clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior class or
caste.”

There is a strange phenomenon that takes place
within cultures that have a warrior culture. When that culture finds itself threatened
by outside forces, they turn to the warriors, or army, to confront the foe in
order to protect the general populace. Though this warrior class is expected to
be prepared to take on all comers, when the battles are over and all has
returned to normal, the warriors who have done all the heavy lifting are
expected to disappear until needed the next time a threat is on the horizon.

Many of the greatest and most fearsome warrior
cultures became more than protectors of their tribe or people group. Often
these warriors took advantage of their military power and acumen, becoming
predators of the very people they were expected to shield from evil forces.

The United States of America is a rare exception
when it comes to establishing and maintaining a warrior culture. When it became
evident that the colonists were going to end up doing battle with Great Britain
and her vaunted Red Coats, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to
establish a standing army. It was on April 19, 1775 that the “Shot heard round
the world” was fired during a stand-off between the American “Minutemen” and
the British Redcoats on Lexington (Massachusetts) Green. This brief skirmish
quickly moved to the next town of Concord, and the American Revolutionary War
was underway.

However, it was not until June 14, 1775 that “Congress approved the raising of 10
companies of riflemen to enlist in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia until
the end of the Revolutionary War.”
At the time, this band of warriors was known as the Continental Army but is
still regarded as the birthday of the United States Army.

Some
months later, the Continental Navy was formed, giving birth on October 13 to
what would later become the United States Navy. In all, six frigates were
commissioned and used for several decades, especially against the pirates from
four Muslim African Mediterranean countries preying on ships, stealing cargo,
and taking control of the ships for their own use. The sailors were taken
prisoner and made slaves on these pirate ships.

The
next military force to be birthed was the Continental Marines on November 10,
1775. In a famous watering hole known as Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, the first
Marines were recruited “to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, provide shipboard security and
discipline enforcement, and assist in landing forces.” They were known primarily for their exceptional
fighting ability.

The
United States Coast Guard was established on August 4,
1790, known then as the Revenue Marine. Not until January 28, 1915 was this
naval force named the United States Coast Guard.

With
the advent of flight, early military fighting forces were part of either the
Army, the Navy, or the Marine Corps. Formed initially August 1, 1907, the Army
Air Corps became a significant force all in its own, eventually separating from
the Army to become the United States Air Force on September 18, 1947.

What
makes our military unique in the realm of warriors is that all branches of our
military serve at the pleasure of the head of the civilian government – the
President of the United States. The President is Constitutionally appointed to
be the president of all Americans, but (s)he is the Commander in Chief of every
single person serving in the uniform of our military. This was brilliantly
thought out by the Founding Fathers so as to deter the threat of mutiny, junta,
insurrection, or a military takeover of the civilian government from within the
military. The President is the boss over every single general and admiral,
period. He can promote them to positions of greater authority and
responsibility, or he can fire them.

Another
fact that makes our military unique is that we do not wage war or engage in
military conflict with the purpose of expanding our reach and power around the
world. Some territories have been gained through treaty and purchase. And even
land we have won at the expense of American blood on foreign shores we
eventually turn that land back over to the original owners. Or, if a country
which we formerly liberated and where we had military bases decides they don’t
want us there any more, we pull out. France is a good example. We saved their
bacon in two world wars last century, yet sometime in the 1960s they wanted all
of our military bases closed.

Same with the Philippines in the 1990s. We even
returned the blood-soaked island of Iwo Jima to the Japanese, where more than 6000
Marines were killed toward the end of World War II.

Roots in Ripon - Author Chuck Roots

Our
military is part of that historical warrior culture, but we who serve or have
served, are perfectly content to live in peace. Please remember this. They are
not to be feared except by those who are enemies to liberty and freedom.

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